Ousted Gabon President Ali Bongo finally released by military
On Wednesday, September 6, the Gabon military that carried out a coup and ousted President Ali Bongo Ondimba said that he was free to travel abroad to seek medical attention.
The announcement was made by Gabon’s military spokesman Colonel Ulrich Manfoumbi who said that Mr Bongo is free to go abroad to seek healthcare.
“Given his state of health, former President of the Republic Ali Bongo Ondimba is free of his movements- He can, if he wishes, go abroad to carry out his medical checks,” said Colonel Manfuombi.
Ali Bongo suffered a stroke on October 24, 2018, while in Saudi Arabia to attend an investment summit.
He received initial treatment in Riyadh before being flown to Morocco, where he stayed under medical supervision for several months. He made his first public appearance in Gabon 10 months after the stroke.
Also read: Ousted Gabon president Ali Bongo was a teen music star: Facts about him
In a clip seen by Nairobi News, before sitting down to a media interview, president Bongo could be seen limping in to the room where the media had set up for the conference.
This would be his second appearance on camera since the military, led by General Brice Oligui Nguema ousted him six days ago.
The military also said one of Ali Bongo’s sons, adviser and chief of staff and his two deputies were arrested for treason, embezzlement, corruption and falsifying the president’s signature among other allegations.
According to prior Nairobi News reports, in his first appearance, where he was under house arrest, a video was released of him calling on the world and friends of Gabon to “make noise” about his ousting and the state of his family.
“I’m sending a message to all our friends worldwide to tell them to make noise for… the people here who arrested me and my family. I’m at the residence, and nothing is happening, I don’t know what’s going on, I’m calling (on) you to make noise,” said President Bongo at the time.
He also contradicted earlier military reports that he was under house arrest with his wife, children, and his doctors by claiming he did not know where his wife and children were.
Days later, General Nguema was sworn in as the interim President two days ago as he promised to hold elections. This ended the 56-year rule of Gabon by the Bongo family.
Ali Bongo Nguema’s ousting occurred hours after the Gabonese Election Center announced him the presidential winner for a third term but the opposition claimed the election had been an orchestrated fraud.
In their first statement, the military said they had cancelled the election results and dissolved all the institutions in the Republic of Gabon until further notice.
Also read: WATCH: Ousted Gabon President Ali Bongo calls on the world to ‘make noise’